The global garment and apparel industry is now focusing its energies on South Asia as garment manufacturing shifts from China to South Asia.

Realising there was a need for an international textile sourcing show in the South Asian region, Intex South Asia was created with the sole purpose of converging the South Asian industry by bringing together suppliers and buyers from across South Asia and other parts of the world on one single networking platform.

Intex South Asia will be held on November 16-17 (Mon/Tue), 2015 at the Sri Lanka Exhibition & Convention Centre (SLECC) in Colombo.

Today, Sri Lanka stands strong as one of the premier fashion and apparel outsourcing hubs. Known globally as the producer of “Garments without Guilt”, the ‘Made in Sri Lanka’ label is synonymous worldwide with the values of high quality, reliability, social and environmental accountability.

Sri Lanka’s rising garment exports are fuelled by ever increasing imports of apparel fabric, yarn and clothing accessories from around the world. To bridge this gap, Intex South Asia is bringing leading suppliers from across the region right to the doorstep of the Sri Lankan industry – Colombo.

Sri Lankan exhibitors at Intex South Asia will get multiple benefits of being able to access and interact with buyers from across India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the rest of the world while also increasing their networking strength within Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka was the location of choice for the show due to its politically neutral status in the South Asian region and positive business environment for entrepreneurs from Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh to meet and do business together. Thus making Sri Lanka the gateway to the huge South Asian market. It also attracts buyers from around the world and creates better interactions between international buyers and suppliers from across South Asia. Also, Sri Lanka’s easy visa process, ease of flight connectivity and location on the east-west sea routes makes it perfectly situated for marine logistics.

Arti Bhagat, Director, Worldex India says, “In the near future these synergies could see Sri Lanka transform into the Central Business District for South Asia.”
Created with a global objective, Intex South Asia is attracting international suppliers to the show as they increase their focus on the South Asian market. Their interests lie in the fact that South Asia manufactures 80 percent of the world’s brands; considered the next garmenting hub of the world and recognized as one of the best manufacturing, sourcing and distribution destinations for garments, textiles, accessories and finish. India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka & Pakistan together exported garments worth US$ 49 billion in 2014-15 and are expected to reach US$ 84 billion by 2020.

South Asia is also the fastest growing region in the world – its economy expanding by 6 percent in 2015 & 6.4 percent in 2016 – and has the largest youth population in the world. Giving an insight, Bhagat says, “A purchase of just one extra garment by South Asia’s 487 million fashion conscious youth would instantly lead to consumption of 974 million garments a year.”

Intex South Asia is organised by Worldex India, co-organised by Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), in association with The Cotton Textiles Exports Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL) and supported by Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF); Sri Lanka Apparel Exporters Association (SLAEA); Sri Lanka Apparel SouIrcing Association (SLASA); Sri Lanka Apparel Brands Association (SLABA); PRGMEA (Pakistan); TTF (Taiwan); TEA (India), CITI (India); SGCCI (India) and others.

Buyers can mark this show on their calendar understanding that Intex South Asia is the place to be at, meet at and do business at in the South Asia Region.